Healthcare acquired infections; pandemic events and bioterrorist event are of growing concerns and have become a consistent drain on healthcare related funds. The list of multi drug resistant microorganisms are growing and becoming a threat to the population around the world. Healthcare related secondary infections are most commonly associated with medical facilities such as hospitals.
Hand disinfection protocols have been in place for many years and have limited success in effective surface disinfection. This method of disinfecting surfaces relies on chemicals and can take extended periods of time based on the need for saturation of surfaces to be disinfected and extended drying times need for the chemicals used.
Surface disinfection using Ultraviolet-C band lighting is considered ultraviolet germicidal irradiation or UVGI. This disinfection method using ultraviolet-C band short wave 254 nanometer light waves inactivates or kills microorganisms at the cellular level by destroying the nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA or RNA. This process will render the organisms incapable of reproducing, therefor killing the microorganism. This process prevents the microorganism from multiplying and thereby stopping the microorganism from causing infections.
Some basic advantages with using an Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation UVGI system are no chemicals used, no chemical storage needed, and no remaining residue clean up from chemical use along with no chemical odors. An Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation UVGI system can reduce the cost of employee hours as it requires very little operating effort to achieve the intended results. The element of human error is kept to a very minimum risk factor as the ultraviolet germicidal irradiation UVGI system will produce the same results each time as there is no variance of effort in the surface disinfection of the ultraviolet-C band lamp.
Special caution must be taken while operating an ultraviolet germicidal irradiation UVGI system. Handling any type of mobile unit ultraviolet germicidal irradiation UVGI system comes with risk as set up of system and take down can subject the employee to hazards related to breakage or burns from hot lamps. As with any piece of equipment that is mobile there is a need for space to store when not in use.
As with any lamp they are made of glass and should be handled with care when replacing. Exposure to ultraviolet-C band light waves can be harmful to skin and eyes. Strict calculations must be adhered to when determining the specific location for the installation of the ultraviolet-C band lamp to minimize or eliminate shadowing.
As described above, it is necessary to pay close attention to the special cautions when designing a system that incorporates ultraviolet-C band lamps for surface disinfection. However the advantages over chemical processes are numerous and make the use of ultraviolet-C band lamps for surface disinfection a necessary and highly effective tool in the fight against microorganisms in rescue ambulance patient cabins. Once a Rapid Disinfection System using ultraviolet-C band lamps for surface disinfection is installed within the rescue ambulance patient cabin there is no need for storing equipment or man power to set up and remove the disinfection equipment. There is a need for a system to disinfect the surfaces of a rescue ambulance patient cabin within the shortest amount of time but also limit employee risk. There needs to be the ability to utilize system at any time without delays from set up of equipment and take down once irradiation phase is complete. Yet another critical necessity is to have the ability to disinfect the surfaces of the rescue ambulance patient cabin parked in the emergency service building or if the need arises out in the field responding to an emergency call.
The Rapid Disinfection System described herein these specifications is intended to deliver at least a three log reduction of colony forming units of microorganisms on surfaces or airborne within the Rescue Ambulance Patient Cabin. The targeted microorganisms would include but are not limited to Clostridium Difficile (C-Diff), Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), and Influenza. These results must be achieved rapidly within only a few minutes or less. This time frame is based on the nature of rescue emergencies. The Rescue Ambulance needs to be ready to travel to the emergency call site quickly. There may not be a lengthy time to use equipment that takes 30 minutes to 90 minutes to set up, Irradiate and take down. This is based on current time frames of portable UVC units currently use in Hospital and Rescue Ambulance settings.
The said system is designed to be operated by any first responder with limited training. In other words the system power switch is unlocked and turned on. This is the power timer switch that will energize the lamps and all safety protocols incorporated within the Rapid Disinfection System. The same power timer switch will then turn off or shut down the entire system at the end of the calculated time frame.
The UV lamps will need to irradiate the interior of the Rescue Ambulance Patient Cabin for a calculated time frame in order to achieve the appropriate measured UV dosage.
In order to achieve the desired three log reduction or better of CFU's of microorganisms in the Rescue Ambulance Patient Cabin, a measured UV dose of 46,000 microwatts is necessary based on (Ref #1) (Ref #1) In a published study by Moog Life Sciences Laboratories dated May 2012 Clostridium difficile Spore Inactivation Study Using Ultraviolet-C Energy, showed that a 3.4 log reduction of CFU of C-Diff was achieved with a measured UV dosage of 45,903 microwatts